Kortrijk Beguinage
Begijnhof St Elisabeth

**Looking for a cute photo spot or just want to see the history of Kortrijk? You can do both at the beguinage. Explore the quiet, picturesque streets to see Kortrijk’s 13th century history. **

The Beguinage of Kortrijk (aka Begijnhof St Elisabeth) is right in the middle of Kortrijk’s city centre. This Instagrammable architecture oasis is a great spot to visit as you stroll through the city. See 40 picturesque houses plus the 15th century Saint Matthews chapel. It might only be a small place, but there’s quite a bit of info here too in the experience centre. Drop by to snap up photos of the cute houses and a good dose of history.

Beguinages were communities of religious, independent women. These unmarried and widowed women usually made a living by taking up a craft like lace making. The Beguinage of Kortrijk dates all the way back to the 13th century! The women who lived in a beguinage were called beguines.

• History Deets: drop into the visitor’s centre and experience room to get all the info on local Kortrijk history that you really won’t get anywhere else. You can also get an audio guide (English or Dutch) from here so you can listen to all the deets as you walk through the beguinage
• Look Familiar?: indie film fans might recognise the location from the 1980’s comedy horror movie Rabid Grannies
• The last beguine in the whole world, Marcella Pattyn, passed away peacefully in her sleep in this beguinage in 2005. Her passing marked the true end of the beguinages, but she and the other beguines left behind a legacy that you need to see.
• Where to next? Check out the Church of Our Lady for even more cool, local architecture